During a speech at the Future Railway Technology for Depot and Trains event on Monday (13 Nov), he remarked that the Tuas Depot – which was recently launched – was actually 30 years’ late.

Did he just infer that his predecessors didn’t really plan things through?

Sole reliance on Bishan Depot

Ever since the launch of the MRT 30 years ago, the two major – North-South and East-West – lines had been supported mainly by the maintenance facility at Bishan — and 3 other substations at Bouna Vista, Stamford and Yasin.

According to Mr Khaw, the power load during peak hours was around 80% — a figure which was expected to increase by another 25% with the completion of resignalling works and opening of the Tues West Extension.

This meant that the back-up power reserves were required to be tapped into, and the addition of new trains – because we keep complaining – only further pushed the limits of the power capacity. Without the new Tuas Depot, energy consumption would have reached 105%, which is clearly quite impossible.

New train depot at Tuas

Which is why Mr Khaw sang praises about the recently launched Tuas Depot on Monday.

This has to be the most boring profile ever, I can't believe you are reading this. I could type random crap here and no one will really see it. Seriously, close this page and go out and do something. Actually I was kidding, come get your latest dosage of news here. You little curious reader, you.